A Nara evening festival where 3 old men keep an ancient performing art alive
Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine
The 2026 edition of Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/08Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, on the night of October 8 / Every year
- Location
- Nara no Hikofuto Shrine
- Area
- Nara Prefecture・Nara City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train + connecting train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A nationally designated traditional performing art, featuring a dance by 3 old men and dedicated at the evening festival of Nara no Hikofuto Shrine.
About Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Degueulasse File:Naratsuhiko jinja okinamai tayuumai 20141003.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Degueulasse File:Taimatsu at Naratsuhiko jinja okinamai.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Degueulasse File:Naratsuhiko jinja okinamai 20141004.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.This traditional performing art featuring 3 old men is dedicated during the evening festival of Nara no Hikofuto Shrine’s autumn festival.
It is said to be the source of Noh and was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 2000 for preserving an ancient form.
In the Narasaka area, it is carefully passed down by members of the Okina-mai Preservation Society and the Okina-kō.
Source: 奈良豆比古神社｜スポット・体験｜奈良市観光協会公式サイト
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the distinctive arrangement in which 3 old men dance side by side.
The performance continues through the Chitose dance performed by a child, the Tayu dance, the Three Old Men dance, and the Sanbaso dance, while the sounds of flutes and small hand drums echo through the .
The lantern-lit nighttime stage is filled with the solemn atmosphere of an ancient Shinto performing art.
A Nara evening festival where 3 old men keep an ancient performing art alive
What to expect
Okina-mai begins on the night of the eve of the festival, when the roles of the priest, flute players, small hand drum and large drum players, and chorus take their seats in the worship hall.
At the cue of the flute, Chitose, Okina, and Sanbaso dance in sequence, and a dialogue between Chitose and Sanbaso is also performed.
The whole performance lasts about 1 hour, and the performers’ entrance across the bridgeway set up in the worship hall is another distinctive feature.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Location and access
- Venue and address
Nara no Hikofuto Shrine (2489 Narasaka-cho, Nara City).
- Train and bus
From JR Nara Station or Kintetsu Nara Station, take a bus bound for Suminodai 8-chome or Aoyama Jūtaku, get off at “Narasaka,” and walk about 5 minutes.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Source: 奈良豆比古神社｜奈良県観光[公式サイト] あをによし なら旅ネット｜奈良市｜奈良エリア｜神社・仏閣｜神社・仏閣 / 奈良豆比古神社｜奈良県観光[公式サイト] あをによし なら旅ネット｜奈良市｜奈良エリア｜神社・仏閣｜神社・仏閣
Address 〒630-8104 2489 Narasaka-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the dates listed have passed)
In 2026, it was announced as scheduled to take place on October 8 (Thursday).
It is dedicated during the evening festival of Nara no Hikofuto Shrine’s autumn festival, and begins around 8 p.m.
Okina-mai is listed as lasting about 1 hour, performed in the worship hall at night to the sounds of flutes and small hand drums.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Nara Prefecture / Nara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
This is a nighttime dedication performance, listed as running from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
There is no parking at the venue, so consider coming by public transportation.
The venue is listed as not being wheelchair accessible; those who need assistance are advised to check with a companion or the organizers.
Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions introduced include Hannyaji Temple, Tōdai-ji Temple, and the Shōsō-in Repository.
Hannyaji Temple is at 221 Hannyaji-cho, Nara City; Tōdai-ji Temple and the Shōsō-in Repository are both in Zōshi-cho, Nara City.
These can be presented as places to visit alongside Okina-mai, including temples, shrines, and cultural facilities in northern Nara City.
中野美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
依水園
奈良県奈良市にある日本庭園
写真：Kimon Berlin ( Gribeco ) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
入江泰𠮷記念奈良市写真美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
吉城園
奈良県奈良市の日本庭園
大和文華館
日本の私立美術館
奈良公園
奈良市の公園
奈良国立博物館
奈良市にある国立博物館
奈良市史料保存館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
奈良県立美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
寧楽美術館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
平城京左京三条二坊宮跡庭園
奈良県奈良市三条大路にある庭園遺構
手向山八幡宮
奈良県奈良市にある神社
Origins and History of Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine
The origins of Okina-mai are said to lie in a prayer for the recovery of Prince Kasuga from illness: his first son, Prince Kiyohito, and second son, Prince Akiō, are said to have offered a prayer dance.
The Okina-kō is documented in records from Kansei 3 (1791), and it is thought that local people were performing the dance by around the 18th century.
The form featuring 3 old men is believed to have been influenced by Okina performances held at Kōfuku-ji Temple and Kasuga Shrine in Nara.
Source: 翁舞｜奈良豆比古神社｜奈良県観光[公式サイト] あをによし なら旅ネット｜奈良市｜奈良エリア｜イベント・体験
Official information
Information about Okina-mai is available in the Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties (Agency for Cultural Affairs) and on the official Nara Prefecture tourism website.
For inquiries about Nara no Hikofuto Shrine, call 0742-23-1025.
Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine at a Glance
Okina-mai at Nara no Hikofuto Shrine is a traditional performing art featuring a dance by 3 old men, dedicated each year on the eve of the festival on October 8.
In 2026, it will be open to the public from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., free of charge and without registration.
Enjoy the ancient performance structure accompanied by flutes and small hand drums, and the atmosphere of the lantern-lit worship hall.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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